Mikel Arteta is possibly facing the sack after watching Arsenal miss out on a chance at European football next season.
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta hit a new low after their Europa League exit against Villarreal on Thursday night. At the moment, can Arsenal call themselves a top side anymore? The answer is no.
The Gunners went out with a whimper in their semi-final showdown with former boss Unai Emery’s side, who went into their second leg in north London with a 2-1 lead.
Arteta and co knew a 1-0 win in the decider would be enough to send them through. What happened instead? They produced just two shots on target in a feeble 0-0 draw which saw them crash out of the competition. In fact, Arsenal could now face next season without European football, the first time such a team would happen in 25 years.
If that was not bad enough, the Spaniard took off Aubameyang in the 79th minute with his side still in search of a goal. That substitution came just after the club captain hit the woodwork. That was more or less a poor decision to make.
Chelsea appointed a proper manager in Thomas Tuchel and we can see the results for the Blues already. It might be high time the Gunners followed a similar approach and go in for a proven tactician in the game.
Many Arsenal fans are now calling for Arteta to leave the club this summer. With that in mind, here are some of the leading candidates to replace him?
Massimiliano Allegri
The Italian has been out of work since leaving Juventus in 2019, where he clinched five straight Serie A titles before departing on a high.
He is by far the most attractive free-agent out there right now, having recorded the highest win percentage in Juve’s history (70.5 per cent) and also guided them to two Champions League finals.
His style of play is not the most exciting, but Arsenal simply need to start winning again at all costs next season, making Allegri the perfect candidate.
Brendan Rodgers
Reports suggested Arsenal turned down the chance to interview Rodgers about their vacant managerial position following Arsene Wenger’s departure in 2018. They must surely regret it.
The Northern Irishman joined Leicester in February 2019 and has since taken them to impressive heights, sitting third in the Premier League table with three games to play and also reaching the FA Cup final.
Appointing Rodgers would be a no-brainer for Arsenal this summer, however it is difficult to envisage him walking away from the Foxes.
Maurizio Sarri
He might be highly criticized for his laid back approach but one thing is clear and it’s the fact that he can get the job done. The Gunners need a no-nonsense manager at this point and someone not afraid to make his philosophies known. Sarri has been without a job since he was sacked as Juve boss last season.
Arsenal are rumored to have made contact already but they could face some competition from fierce ‘rivals’ Tottenham?
Patrick Vieira
Should some of Europe’s biggest managerial names be unavailable this summer, Arsenal may decide to stick with the former-player approach and appoint Vieira – one of the greatest players in their history.
The Frenchman’s coaching career has not exactly taken off, with only brief stints in charge of New York City FC and Nice to show for his five-year spell as a manager.
He was linked with the job when Emery was sacked in 2019, yet it would likely prove too great of a risk for Arsenal to hire another rookie should Arteta be moved on.
Nuno Espirito Santo
The Wolves gaffer could be a dark-horse for the Arsenal job if Arteta heads for the Emirates exit this summer.
A career-threatening injury to Raul Jimenez has derailed his side this season, with a mid-table finish seemingly on the cards, but in the two seasons prior Espirito Santo guided Wolves to seventh-place twice while implementing a free-flowing style of play.
The 47-year-old has a decent track record for getting results and leaving fans on the edge of their seats, meaning he may well be Arsenal’s best option this summer.
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